


coil my tongue

by Toothless



Series: coil my tongue [1]
Category: Justified
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Always a Girl!Raylan, BAMF Women, F/M, Family, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-31
Updated: 2014-01-31
Packaged: 2018-01-10 16:33:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1162003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toothless/pseuds/Toothless
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Raylan Givens is born, her father is hunched over a familiar bar, his fingers tracing the mouth of a bottle; reminiscent, angry and already absent.</p>
            </blockquote>





	coil my tongue

When Raylan Givens is born, her father is hunched over a familiar bar, his fingers tracing the mouth of a bottle; reminiscent, angry and already absent.

  
  


Raylan is born to Frances Givens, who cries, because she drank through the pregnancy, and maybe, in the darkest corners of her heart, wished to get rid of her that way. But Frances stops drinking that night, after 36 hours of labor, holding an infant in her arms. Cradled like she’s gold, incense, like she is the greatest gift of the world.

Raylan Givens will grow up despising the weaknesses in Frances, will hate her for cowering behind closed doors, for fleeing to Noble’s Holler when Arlo is mean with drink. For staying.

But mostly, for leaving without her.

Frances is strong that night, with Raylan in her arms, newborn and fragile like spun glass. Frances strokes her daughter’s hair, the pink shell of her ear, and promises, like benediction, to do right by her.

 

Like most promises that Raylan is given, this is a lie.

 


End file.
